Once Upon A Time: Redemption
by patrickmgaddis
Summary: The alternate Regina sets off on a path to redemption, while Seth reunites with the mysterious young woman he saved. Elsewhere, Emerson, Justin, and James travel to the alternate Storybrooke to repair the relationship between the alternate versions of Emerson and August Booth. Justin is jealous of Emerson and James's friendship.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Regina sat on a tree stump overlooking a river. As she sat there, she thought of her past.

"Thinking?" a voice asked.

Regina turned around to see Seth standing there.

"Or are you just doing nothing?" Seth asked.

"I'm most certainly doing something," Regina replied.

"When I was a Pooh Bear, I sure spent a lot of time doing nothing," Seth said.

"I was thinking about Henry," Regina said. "I miss him."

"It's okay to miss someone," Seth said. "I miss Christopher Robin."

"I don't know if I can go on," Regina said. "I may as well be locked back up. I can't redeem myself."

"The other Regina redeemed herself," Seth said.

"The other Regina has Henry," Regina said. "I have nothing. Everything was taken away from me the moment Emma Swan broke the curse."

"It seems to me that in order to no longer have nothing, you need to go off and find something," Seth said. "That way, you will not have nothing any longer." 

"I see becoming a human didn't really effect your personality," Regina said.

"There's a village not too far from here," Seth said. "I'm on my way there."

"Why?" Regina asked.

"There's this girl," Seth replied. "I saved her from some thieves."

"Who is she?" Regina asked.

"I don't know," Seth replied. "She vanished and I want to find her."

"I'll come with you," Regina said. "Maybe I'll find my purpose."

"That's a wonderful idea," Seth said. "Also, I have enough honey for both of us."

"I don't like honey," Regina said.

"Okay," Seth said.

Seth and Regina walked to the village. Once there, they split up. Seth went left and Regina went right.

Seth walked through the forest and heard a scream. He looked to see the very same women he'd saved before being tied and forced into a wagon by a masked man.

"Hey!" Seth screamed.

Seth ran towards them and the masked man ran away. Seth then began to untie the young woman.

"Considering this is the second time I've saved you, I think I deserve some answers," Seth said. "Don't you think?"

Meanwhile, Regina walked through the village and noticed several people going about their daily chores.

"This is where I'll make a fresh start," Regina said out loud to herself.

A man turned around to see Regina.

"It's the Evil Queen!" the man screamed.

Everyone in the village began to run in all directions.

"No!" Regina shouted. "I'm not her anymore!"

Regina soon found herself standing in a deserted village.

"That's not good," Regina said.

A man carrying a bag on his back walked over to her.

"Excuse me?" the man asked.

"Yes?" Regina asked.

"Can you direct me to the nearest trading post?" the man asked.

"Don't you know who I am?" Regina asked.

"You're the Evil Queen," the man replied.

"Was the Evil Queen," Regina said. "Shouldn't you be running in fear?"

"I could," the man replied. "But I tend to see the good in people. Now, about that trading post…"

"I'm not sure where I am," Regina replied. "Perhaps we could look together."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **Alternate Past- 2011- Boston**

Emma Swan and August Booth stood in the kitchen of their apartment baking a cake.

"Today is the day," August said. "Your 28th birthday."

"When can we go to Storybrooke?" Emma asked.

"Not until he arrives," August replied.

August looked at Emma.

"Hey," August said. "It's going to be okay."

Emma and August shared a kiss.

"I love you," August said.

"I love you too," Emma said.

Emerson walked into the apartment.

"I'm home," Emerson said.

August walked over to his son.

"Where have you been?" August asked.

"Nowhere," Emerson replied.

"Where have you been?" August asked.

"Nowhere," Emerson repeated.

"Let me smell your breath," August said.

"I wasn't drinking," Emerson said.

"Then where were you?" August asked.

"I was taking my driving test," Emerson replied, getting out his license.

"I told you no!" August shouted.

"I thought you'd actually be happy," Emerson said. "I'm 16."

"You know we have to go break the curse," August said.

"No," Emerson said. "Emma has brake the curse. I don't have to do anything!"

August grabbed Emerson by the shoulder.

"You do not talk to me like that!" August shouted.

"I am not going to Storybrooke to brake a stupid curse!" Emerson shouted. "I am staying in Boston!"

"You will do no such thing!" August shouted.

"My grandmother lives here," Emerson said. "I will live with her!"

"No!" August said.

"Why should I give up my life?" Emerson asked. "Why do I have to be included in this?" 

"Because I said so," August replied.

"I hate you!" Emerson shouted.

"I'm not too crazy about you either!" August shouted, snatching Emerson's license.

August walked to the fireplace and threw Emerson's license into the fire.

"August!" Emma shouted.

"I will never forgive you!" Emerson shouted.

Emerson ran out of the apartment and down the stairs. As he exited the building, he saw young Henry Mills.

"Excuse me?" Henry asked. "Is this where Emma Swan lives?"

"You!" Emerson shouted. "You're the prophesized boy who ruined my life! I hate you!"

Emerson shoved Henry down and ran off. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 **The Present**

Emerson and Justin walked through the forest.

"It's been three days and I can't stop thinking about it," Emerson said. "Apparently alternate me and alternate Papa are not on good terms."

"Well, it's a good thing that's not your reality," Justin said.

Justin noticed the look on Emerson's face.

"No," Justin said. "Stay out of it."

"I can't," Emerson said.

"Let them work it out themselves," Justin said.

"I will do no such thing," Emerson said.

"We're not on a fun walk, are we?" Justin asked.

"There's a field of magic beans somewhere around here," Emerson replied.

At that moment, an arrow hit the tree in front of them. Justin screamed and held onto Emerson. Emerson turned around to see a familiar face.

"James!" Emerson cheered.

"Emerson!" James cheered.

Emerson and James rushed to each other and embraced tightly.

"I've been searching for you!" James exclaimed. "After you disappeared, I ventured off to this village and they said some type of curse happened and we had been frozen for 28 years! Where were you?"

"It's a long story," Emerson replied.

"Prince Charming?" Justin asked.

James looked over at Justin.

"Why thank you for saying that," James said. "I am very handsome. But as I've explained to Emerson, I'm not interested in other males."

"Prince Charming is a friend from Storybrooke," Emerson explained.

"You must be his twin brother," Justin said. "But he said you were dead."

"Dead?" James asked.

"Justin," Emerson said. "There are many realms and some of them have different versions of same people."

"Oh," Justin said.

"So what's going on?" James asked.

"We're looking for a magic bean field," Justin replied. "I'm Justin by the way."

 **Alternate Storybrooke**

Emma, Snow, and Charming stood in the loft looking in the mirror. Emma wore a white wedding dress and Snow smiled at her daughter.

"You look so beautiful," Snow said.

"Thank you, Mom," Emma said.

"I can't believe my baby girl is getting married," Charming said. "I also can't believe my baby girl is the same age as me."

"Dad," Emma said. "Please stop."

August stormed into the loft and Snow and Charming stood in front of Emma.

"August!" Snow shouted. "It's bad luck to see the bride in her dress before the wedding!"

"Sorry," August said. "I'm looking for my boy. Has anyone seen him?"

"Not since this morning," Emma replied.

"I saw Emerson at Granny's this morning," Charming replied.

"I checked Granny's," August said. "I can't find him. He won't even answer his phone."

"He doesn't approve of the wedding," Emma said. "He hates me."

"He doesn't hate you," August assured Emma.

"Then is he always so cold to me?" Emma asked.

At that moment, a portal opened and everyone was thrown back. Emerson, Justin, and James were thrown out of the portal before it closed. As everyone stood up, August rushed over to Emerson and embraced him. 

"What are you doing here?" August asked.

"I've come to save your relationship with your son," Emerson replied. "Oh, and this is Justin and James."

"What the hell is going on here?" Emma, Snow, and Charming asked at the same time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Regina and the man walked through the forest.

"So my name is Hunter," the man said. "And I suppose you have a name besides Evil Queen."

"Regina," Regina said. "So what do you do, Hunter?"

"I'm a sailor," Hunter replied. "I love to travel the realms."

"So you're a pirate," Regina said.

"No," Hunter replied. "There's a difference. I do it because I love the sea. I don't like treasure. There are more important things in life than treasure, like my daughter."

"You have a daughter?" Regina asked.

"She's 12-years-old," Hunter replied. "Her name is Marina. She's named after her mother."

"So you're married," Regina said.

"My wife died in childbirth," Hunter explained.

"I'm so sorry," Regina said.

Meanwhile, Seth and the woman walked down another part of the forest along a river.

"So you're a princess?" Seth asked.

"Not just any princess," the young woman replied. "I'm Aquata, daughter of King Triton."

"So you're a mermaid," Seth said.

"Was a mermaid," Aquata said. "My sister, Ariel, fell for a human and was granted life on land. I too fell for a handsome prince and a kind sorcerer granted me life on land so that I could marry the prince. But then, the prince showed his true colors."

"What happened?" Seth asked.

"The prince only wants to marry me to save his crown," Aquata replied. "His parents will give the crown to his brother if he doesn't marry me. He doesn't truly love me. He's not the person I thought he was."

"Those men I saved you from?" Seth asked.

"They were the prince's guards," Aquata replied. "They were sent by him to capture me."

"They're a bunch of cowards if they keep running away from me," Seth said.

"Two reward you for saving me, I shall give you a kiss," Aquata said.

"You don't have to do…" Seth started to say before Auqata gave him a kiss on the lips.

A puff of purple smoke appeared. As it cleared, Aquata was surprised to see a yellow teddy bear with a red shirt in the place of Seth.

"Seth?" Aquata asked.

"Oh bother," the bear said. "It seems you have broken my curse."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

 **Alternate Storybrooke**

James and Justin entered Granny's Diner. They then sat down at a booth.

"Wait until you try this place," Justin said.

"I'm so happy," James said. "I've literally been searching 30 years for my best friend and I'm so glad I found him."

"Best friend?" Justin asked.

"Yes," James replied. "Emerson is my best friend."

"Really?" Justin asked. "You lived across the hallway from him for 15 years? You grew up together? You used to sneak out with him and use fake ID's to get into clubs?"

"What does that mean?" James asked.

"You comforted him at his grandmother's funeral?" Justin asked.

"I sense you don't like me," James said.

"Emerson is my best friend," Justin said. "I've always been there for him and he's always been there for me. Don't you dare say he's your best friend!"

Meanwhile, Emerson and August entered August's home.

"Emerson!" August hollered.

"Emerson!" Emerson hollered. "Wow, that felt weird."

August and Emerson walked upstairs to Alternate Emerson's room to find it empty. August stood against the wall and gasped.

"He's finally had enough and fled," August said.

Emerson patted August on the back.

"Don't worry," Emerson said. "In my reality, I lived in a little cottage. I'm betting that the cottage is where he is."

August and Emerson arrived at the cottage and August walked to the door.

"Allow me," Emerson said, jumping in front of August.

Emerson knocked on the door and Alternate Emerson opened it. His mouth immediately dropped open.

"Who are you?" Alternate Emerson asked.

"I'm you from a different reality," Emerson replied.

"Get away from me, you clone freak!" Alternate Emerson shouted.

"Cut the _Freaky Friday_ references," Emerson said. "We have to talk."


End file.
